> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.meetzela.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Zela FAQ: Answers to Common Questions About Your Account

> Find answers to common questions about Zela's AI voice receptionist — from how it works to call handling, billing, and supported regions.

This page covers the most common questions from Zela customers. Whether you're just getting started or looking for answers about how calls, bookings, or billing work, you'll find clear answers below. If your question isn't listed here, reach out to the Zela support team at [support@zela.ai](mailto:support@zela.ai).

## Getting Started

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What is Zela?">
    Zela is an AI-powered voice receptionist built for local home service businesses. It automatically answers your inbound calls, collects caller details, and books appointments on your behalf — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Zela handles the front desk so you can focus on the job.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Which countries does Zela support?">
    Zela is available in the following countries:

    * 🇺🇸 United States
    * 🇨🇦 Canada
    * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
    * 🇦🇺 Australia
    * 🇳🇿 New Zealand

    When you sign up, Zela provisions a local phone number in your country. Customers call that number and Zela answers on your behalf.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need any technical knowledge to use Zela?">
    No. Zela is designed for business owners with no technical background. Everything is managed through your Zela dashboard — from setting up your agent's greeting to configuring your availability. No coding, no complex integrations, and no IT knowledge required.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long does setup take?">
    Most businesses are up and running in under 30 minutes. The setup process walks you through configuring your agent name, greeting, business hours, and call handling preferences. Once your Zela number is active, simply forward your existing business number to it and you're live.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Calls and Agent

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Will Zela answer every call, even at night?">
    Yes — if your agent is set to **24/7 mode**, Zela answers every inbound call regardless of the time or day. If you prefer to restrict answering to specific hours, you can configure business hours in **Agent > Configuration** and Zela will only pick up during those windows.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if a caller wants to speak to a real person?">
    If a caller requests to speak with a real person, Zela will attempt to transfer the call to your nominated transfer number. If that number is unavailable or no transfer number has been set, Zela will take a message and store it in your dashboard for follow-up.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I customise what my agent says?">
    Yes. You have full control over how your agent speaks and what it knows. Customise your agent's greeting, add entries to your knowledge base, and set up FAQ responses — all from **Agent > Configuration** in your dashboard. Changes take effect on the next incoming call.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What languages does Zela support?">
    Zela currently supports **English**, with regional accent options to match your location (US, UK, Australian, and more). Support for additional languages is on the roadmap and will be announced when available.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can Zela handle multiple calls at the same time?">
    Yes. Zela can handle multiple concurrent calls simultaneously, so your business never misses a call — even during busy periods. There's no queue and no engaged tone for your customers.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Bookings

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How does Zela know my availability?">
    Zela books appointments based on the availability rules you configure in your dashboard settings. It does not sync with an external calendar by default — you manage your available time slots, blocked dates, and booking windows directly within Zela. This keeps things simple and fully under your control.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I cancel or edit a booking Zela made?">
    Yes. Go to **Dashboard > Bookings**, find the relevant booking, and open it to make changes. From there you can update the date, time, customer details, or cancel the booking entirely. Any changes are reflected immediately in your dashboard.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are customers sent a booking confirmation?">
    Confirmation SMS is available as a paid add-on. By default, booking details are stored in your Zela dashboard for your reference, but no outbound message is sent to the customer. Enable the SMS Confirmation add-on from **Settings > Add-ons** if you'd like customers to receive an automated text after booking.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Credits and Billing

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What happens when I run out of credits?">
    When your credit balance reaches zero, your agent pauses and stops answering inbound calls. Callers will hear your fallback behaviour (e.g. ringing through to your personal number) until you top up. To avoid interruptions, enable **auto-refill** in **Billing > Credits** — this automatically purchases a top-up when your balance drops below a threshold you set.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do unused monthly credits roll over?">
    No. Credits included in your monthly plan reset at the start of each billing cycle — any unused balance does not carry over. However, credits purchased separately as a **top-up** do not expire and remain in your account until used.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I change my plan at any time?">
    Yes. You can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time from **Billing > Plan**. Upgrades take effect immediately and you'll be charged a prorated amount for the remainder of the billing period. Downgrades take effect at the end of your current billing period, so you retain your current plan's features until then.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What payment methods does Zela accept?">
    Zela accepts all major credit and debit cards, including **Visa**, **Mastercard**, and **American Express**. Payments are processed securely through **Stripe**. Zela does not store your card details directly.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>


## Related topics

- [Troubleshooting Your Zela Account: Common Fixes and Steps](/help/troubleshooting.md)
- [Meet Your Zela AI Agent: What It Does and How It Works](/agent/overview.md)
- [Configure Your Zela AI Agent: Voice and Personality](/agent/configuration.md)
- [Zela: AI Voice Receptionist for Home Service Businesses](/introduction.md)
- [Call Logs: Full History of Every Call Zela Handled](/dashboard/call-logs.md)